EU Parliament passes bill hiking renewable energy targets

Brussels: European Union lawmakers gave their final approval on Tuesday to legally binding targets to expand renewable energy faster this decade, a central part of Europe’s plans to curb climate change and shift away from fossil fuels.

The law significantly raises the EU’s renewable energy targets, requiring 42.5% of EU energy to be renewable by 2030, replacing a current 32% target for that date.

It faced a tough passage through negotiations among EU countries’ governments, and only secured support after France won carve-outs for nuclear energy – which is low-carbon, but not renewable.

The European Parliament voted on Tuesday to pass the law with a large majority – 470 lawmakers voted in favour, 120 against and 40 abstained. EU member countries must also green light the final bill before it enters into force.

Markus Pieper, the EU Parliament’s negotiator on the law, said it would allow faster approval of new renewable projects and encourage new technologies.

“I am looking forward to seeing pilot projects for floating solar cells, wind kites, run-of-river power plants or other projects we cannot imagine yet,” Pieper said.

EU countries and lawmakers had negotiated a deal on the renewable energy law in March which was supposed to be final, but was held up by countries seeking greater recognition of nuclear power.

EU countries informally okayed the deal in June, after Brussels offered written assurances that it would consider exempting certain ammonia plants from renewable fuel targets – allowing them to run on nuclear-based fuels instead.